Belting the Plaid: How'd They Do It??

[Woodsheal]

Without any period written descriptions of how the plaid was put on, we can only guess, make deductions from period images, and experiment.

But, in over 35 years of being involved in "living history," many are the examples I've seen of dubious "reenactorisms" assuming the role of historic facts and practices....

[JRB]

Without any period written descriptions of how the plaid was put on, we can only guess, make deductions from period images, and experiment...

That's why I love experimental archaeology. Reenactors may sometimes get things wrong, but a lot of information has been gleened from going out and doing.

[Malcolm MacWilliam]

A very interesting discussion and you all make good points. To piggyback on hand pleating, etc......Jacobite wars will be recreated at Fort Ontario, Oswego, NY, Sept. 4 through 6. http://jacobite1745.homestead.com/IAmComeHome20081.html

Malcolm

[shawhighlander]

Which takes us back to my original point: we AREN'T achieving the end results shown in the period images...
Here's another example: the famous painting

Oan a wee note, this is a painting, donned in the style of the artist's eye.
Aye ith:

[Nighthawk]

Oan a wee note, this is a painting, donned in the style of the artist's eye.
Aye ith:

Where have I read that before...?

That's why I love experimental archaeology. Reenactors may sometimes get things wrong, but a lot of information has been gleened from going out and doing.

I couldn't agree more! I've learned so much by doing.

[BoldHighlander]

Without any period written descriptions of how the plaid was put on, we can only guess, make deductions from period images, and experiment.

But, in over 35 years of being involved in "living history," many are the examples I've seen of dubious "reenactorisms" assuming the role of historic facts and practices....

That's why I love experimental archaeology. Reenactors may sometimes get things wrong, but a lot of information has been gleened from going out and doing.

I would agree with both of your assessments, which is why (as "living historians") we must be careful in putting out there what little we know as "experimental archaeology" as "historical fact". Having been involved in living history for nearly 17 years, I have seen many of my contemporaries state "facts" as if they knew more than those who actually lived the times.

[BoldHighlander]

This print is part of the Boyd Album, a collection of prints and documents collected together by the Boyd Family and now in the collection of Dean castle.



...note the disheveled appearance of his great kilt.

[Am Bàrd]

Interesting and entertaining thread - I was searching around and stumbled on these:

http://216.92.79.148/greatkilt/breacan04.htm
http://216.92.79.148/greatkilt/breacan05.htm

Of course, there's no way to guarantee authenticity, but it certainly does appear to be a valid method the putting a great kilt on without laying down. I'll have to give it a try myself once I get mine made.

[The Wizard of BC]

I have a friend and customer here in Victoria who lives in the Great Kilt as part of what this thread has dubbed "Experimental Archeology".
He uses a piece of cloth of the weight of an army blanket because that is about what a hand loom of the age would and did produce. (His wife wove it)
The length is about 4.25 yards and length 54" as it is two pieces sewn together. The length and width are perfect for rolling up in at night as a sleeping bag.

He wears the Leine constantly. (He washes his about every 3rd day but in the Highlands it would have been washed about once every other week or so.) His Leine is hand woven of Wool and about the thickness of a Pendleton Wool shirt.
The other clothing he uses are a pair of "Ghillie" shoes. Basically three layers of Elk hide for a sole and laced up the calf. In cold weather he adds leggings of rabbit fur, fur side in, laced with the shoelaces.
A long leather belt with no buckle. Instead it uses a horn toggle.
A large shoulder/belt pouch to carry everything he owns when in the field.
A large bladed knife in a belt/shoulder strap.

In the morning there are all sorts of things that need attending to like stoking the fire for breakfast, fetching some water, and his ablutions.
His method of getting dressed is this;

Roll out of the blanket and wrap it around his shoulders.
Go Stoke the fire.
Find the latrine and relieve himself.
Fill a water skin and splash water on his face, hands, feet, pits, and crotch. Dry off with the blanket.

Go back to the camp and put the breakfast on the fire.

Finally, standing in front of the fire to get warm he pulls the blanket over his head and shrugs it around his shoulders.
He then grabs his belt and flips it around his waist and fastens it in place catching the blanket in the process.

Voila, he is dressed.

He does it standing and it takes all of a minute to do.
To get the sort of effect and imaging what it looks like find a picture of a ladies Arasaid. Same sort of look.
It's a Leine and Brat sort of look.

After he is warm he drops the top of the blanket off his head and pins it in front with a pennanular brooch. Over both shoulders and Pinned a little to one side so it won't get caught when he slings his pouch over his shoulder before going out to tend the sheep or chop some wood.

Does it give the look of those in the portraits? No, I'm sorry it doesn't, but it works very well, is practical, and simple.

I think we tend to forget that hand woven fabric are far thicker and heavier than those we use today. To me the army blanket weight is exactly what I would want around me in the damp Scottish Highlands.

[Woodsheal]

I have a friend and customer here in Victoria who lives in the Great Kilt as part of what this thread has dubbed "Experimental Archeology".
He uses a piece of cloth of the weight of an army blanket because that is about what a hand loom of the age would and did produce. (His wife wove it)

Steve,

A couple of notes for your friend:
Lose the penannular brooch. They are an Iron Age/Dark Age item that fell out of use in the medieval period, long before belted plaids were worn. He should use a bodkin.

Also, surviving early plaids (I don't think any extant examples date to earlier than ca. 1700), are all described as "thin" and "hard" as opposed to thick, heavy, and blanket-like. See Dunbar's History of Highland Dress for examples of what I'm referring to. And, here's a period description of the "finer and lighter" plaids differing from the heavier tartan woven for hose and "jerkins":
http://medievalscotland.org/clothing/refs/taylor.shtml